Selling

Handy Tips For Selling Your Home

When selling your home, there are a number of things that you can do to help increase the presentation and value of your home. The first impression your home makes on a prospective buyer is the most important in securing a good sale. As a homeowner, potentially this can make a difference of thousands when it comes to the final sale price. The following are some tips to raise the value of your house prior to submitting it to the market for sale:

1. Repairs: If you have anything in need of repair, make sure this is attended to. Prospective buyers like to feel as if everything is intact and ready for them to just move in. If they see anything that is broken or faulty, you can be sure they will be wondering if there is anything else in need of repair, and how much it will all end up costing. It will be their negotiating leverage for a price reduction. Be sure to ward this off by ensuring that your house is well-maintained.

2. Make the most of your garden: The garden is one of the first things that the prospective buyer will see, and it can also be a real focal point of the home; but only if it is inviting. Ensure that you keep your garden looking at its best. Regular mowing, raking, edging, weeding and watering will preserve a neat and clean garden. You can hire professional garden maintenance experts for a one-off garden tidy.

3. Externally, all items like fences, front lights, patio furniture, garden lighting should be attractive to the eye. It is these that add the aesthetic value to your home. More importantly, the front path that leads to your house should be well paved and safe with no loose stones. These small details are very important in giving the impression of your style and character, whether that be simple, smart, casual or elegant.

4. Do you have a pool? If you do make sure that it is a feature of your garden. Ensure that it is clean and that the surrounds are in good condition. If there are any repairs you could do, this would be advisable. Consider hiring a pool cleaner to ensure it's kept clean. You should also contact a professional pool company if you need any repairs. While this might cost some money, a well maintained pool means that you can ask a higher price for selling your home. And don’t forget about the compliance of the fencing!!

5. Freshen up rooms: It's amazing how a fresh coat of paint can transform even the dullest of rooms. Freshly painted walls look clean and inviting. It is best to use a neutral colour on your walls, to help the prospective buyer to see what they might wish to do with the room. Instead of darker colours, opt for a neutral white or beige. If you are re-decorating your walls, remember that pale coloured walls (for example, white or beige) give the illusion of space, helping smaller rooms to look bigger. This illusion works vice versa: if you paint your walls in a dark colour it will have the appearance that it is smaller. Use colours wisely to make the most of your rooms.

6. Be objective: Although you might have decorated some of your rooms for your own particular needs, now it is going on the market, you should look at the room using the eyes of a prospective buyer. For instance, while the second bedroom is bright pink because it was your daughter's room, this might not be attractive to your buyer. Painting the room in a neutral colour makes the most out of the room, and makes your house more attractive to a larger number of potential buyers. Look around your home to see if there are any design choices that you should change to make your house more desirable to the wider market.

7. Look around you: Take a look at other people's home to get ideas on what you can do to make the most of your home. Sometimes your neighbours can be a good source of information or inspiration.

8. How is your kitchen? The kitchen is an extremely important room, as it's where the meals are prepared and where the family comes together. Also, if there is any entertaining, it will be most likely linked to this room. If the style of your kitchen is out of date, think of ways to refresh the look. Talk to your estate agent about what the best option for you would be. And remember to always keep this area clean & smelling fresh- a sink and stove full of dishes and ‘last night’s cooking mess’ is not very attractive!!

9. Keep bathrooms clean: A bathroom should be a relaxing and clean environment. Ensure that your bathroom is kept clean. Put out fresh, fluffy towels and make sure the toilet lid is closed! Contact professionals if you have any tiles in need of repair, or if you would like to redecorate your bathroom.

10. Clear away clutter: While it is still your home and you have your personal items, try to keep it to a minimum to allow the prospective buyer the opportunity to see their own things in the house. Also, if you have too many things stored in your house, you can make rooms look a lot smaller. Removing the excess items in a room gives the prospective buyer a fair impression of room size.

11. Maintain Exterior: The exterior of your house is also a very important aspect. Make sure that if you have a clean and polished look for the outside of your home. If the paintwork is tired, you may want to look into re-painting your exterior. While it can be quite expensive, the cost will make up for it in added value to your home. If you cannot afford to paint your exterior walls, you may consider painting the exterior trimmings (window-frames and door frames). This will also keep the look of your home fresh.